Tuesday, February 04, 2014

The bloody shirt

"Neocon war hawks" upset at the resurgence of Sunni and al Quaeda in Anbar in Iraq are waving the "bloody shirt" to invoke the memory of Fallujah, urging U.S. intervention. To understand the Middle East it is necessary to have a map of the area, be aware of who borders who and who are Sunni and who are Shia.

Iraq, was a Sunni dominated state with a large Shia minority until the US invasion in 2003. Iraq had fought an inconclusive war against Shia dominated Iran, from 1980 to 1988, ending in a stalemate. Iraq remained a counter balance to Iran.

Iran's long-term rival, Saudi Arabia, is Sunni dominated, and with its powerful economic position has rivaled Iran for control of the Persian Gulf promoting jihadists, like al Quaeda, and spreading its hard line wahhabi brand of Islam. 

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